The Church of St Mary the Virgin, Prescot in the County of -- Lancashire --

	St. Mary the Virgin, Market Place/Church Street

It is possible that there has been a church on this site from pre-Norman times. The church is first mentioned in records of 1140. At least two buildings are known to have been on this site. Most of the building that stands here today dates from 1610. Two of the main benefactors of the rebuild, John Ogle and Sir John Bold, are commemorated on the beams of the black oak collar and hammer beam roof of the nave. John Ogle also donated a fine black oak chair and has the only tomb effigy to remain in the church. The XIV century tower that had been built in 1393, with a bequest of 10 from the rector John Fairfax, was in such poor condition in 1727 that it was replaced by a tower and spire at a cost of 455. The new tower and spire had problems with both severe storms and structural stresses. The spire was rebuilt in 1798 and the tower and spire strengthened and restored in 1992. The only part of the medieval building to remain is the small north vestry. This church is the only Grade One listed building in the Borough of Knowsley.

Notes source : Knowsley Museum Service.

Notice also to the left of the image above is the Prescot War Memorial honouring the casualties of the first world war. Details of this and the fallen may be found on the Prescot Roll of Honour site.